To Dance in the Rain
by solitaireclay07
Summary: Lily doesn't take risks. She doesn't like standing in the rain. She doesn't like walking around barefoot. That's about to change.


A/N: No, I don't own Harry Potter. That's...all I really have to say. Oh, and my Christmas story is coming out soon. In maybe a week. And please review...

The quote at the end of the story is my senior class quote. It fit, so I put it at the end.

* * *

Rain poured from the sky in sheets, hitting the rooftop of the castle. In the Great Hall, the ceiling also featured a gloomy sky, rain falling steadily. It wasn't a storm; there was no lightning or thunder. Just rain. It was nearing night; however, no one could tell from the dark clouds that had already rolled in.

Students exited the Great Hall after their supper, making their way up to their dormitories to finish their work, or maybe for an early bedtime.

In the Heads' common room, Lily Evans was lounging in a chair, a blanket spread across her bare feet, reading over her essay for Potions. Lily wasn't a risk taker. She would rather spend her night resting instead of getting up and doing something adventurous. And that's what she was going this night. She had finished with her work early, and it was a cozy night sitting in front of a fire. Even thought it was raining outside. It was also quiet. The Head Boy wasn't back from wherever he was yet.

Lily had gotten along with him this year though. She didn't mind if James was here or not. As long as he would let her work without him interrupting. She often thought about how different James was from her; he was definitely a risk taker. He could always be found in the middle of a blizzard, enjoying the high winds, bitter cold, and snow. Lily didn't doubt that he was outside right now.

The door across the room opened suddenly, and Lily looked up to see James walk in, soaking wet.

She decided just to ask him, although she already knew. "Were you outside?"

James nodded. "And what are you doing?"

"I just finished with my Potions essay."

James grinned. "Good. Come on."

There was a pause in which Lily looked at James as if he was crazy. "And where will we be going?"

"Outside," James answered as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

"It's raining. And I don't have an umbrella," Lily said. In truth, she didn't want to be interrupted from her quiet time in front of the fire.

"Just a quick walk around the castle," James argued, with a pleading look on his face.

Lily sighed, moving the blanket off her. "All right." James grin grew larger. "Let me just find my shoes and-"

"No, no shoes."

Lily turned and and gave James a look of confusion. "What do you mean 'no shoes'?" she asked carefully, not knowing where to go with this.

"No shoes. No socks. Just...bare feet."

Lily looked down at James' feet to see that they were indeed sock and shoe-less. He wiggled his toes and rocked back and forth on his heels as soon as he caught her staring.

"You're _crazy_."

"Why? What's wrong with having some fun?"

"There are many logical reasons that you just can't go outside, in the rain, without shoes of all things." Logic was Lily's thing. That's how she had already gotten though her six and a half years at Hogwarts.

"Oh yeah?" James raised an eyebrow to question her. "Name some."

Lily took a deep breath, then started on her speech. "Well, let's see. It's cold, the rain will cause us to most likely get sick maybe with the flu or pneumonia, we could step on something sharp, we could die-"

"Wait, wait, wait," James interrupted her, a look of disbelief on his face, "_Die_? From walking barefoot outside?"

Lily shook her head. "I don't...know. I just know it isn't _safe_."

"Safe? Evans, have you _ever_ done anything with a risk?" James asked incredulously.

"Risk?" Lily asked, as if asking the definition of such a word.

"Yes, risk. AKA, your definition of "dying"," James said, with a soft laugh at the end.

Lily looked at him wearily. "I'm not going outside without shoes. It's not..._logical_."

"What's with you and logic?"  
"What's with you and bare feet?" Lily asked in the same tone.

"I...have a foot fetish," James admitted, trying to hide his grin.

Lily raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"...I'm kidding," James finally said, grinning. "So, are you coming?" he asked, putting on his most innocent face.

"James..."

Immediately, James' expression changed. "You want to go, don't you?"

Confused, Lily just looked at him. "What?"

"You called me James. Which means, you're giving in. Which means you really want to go but you're not that big into taking risks so you're second guessing yourself. But you _want_ to go."

There was a pause. "How did you come up with that?" Lily asked.

"I just know."

There was another pause, as James just stared at Lily and she stared back. Suddenly, Lily got up and walked over to where James was, passing him and walking out of the room. James stared at the spot where she was last at, wondering why she left. Lily popped her head back in. "Well, aren't you coming?"

James grinned and followed her out of the common room.

Light flooded the outside of Hogwarts, coming from the Great Hall. Standing hesitantly in the middle of the doorway, Lily stared at James in front of her, who was standing in the middle of the rainstorm.

"Come on!" James exclaimed.

Lily watched as the rain soaked the guy in front of her. James quickly brushed his hair out of his face, making his hair stick up. Water continued to fall into his eyes and he rapidly blinked to keep it from irritating him. He looked crazy from Lily's point of view.

Lily sighed and said, softly, "I...can't."

James tilted his head at her, studying her nervous stance by the door. "You won't melt."

Lily smiled and said, "Have you ever seen The Wizard of Oz?"

James once again brushed his hair out of his face. "The Wizard of...what?"

"The Wizard of...well, nevermind..."

"All right, stop stalling. Come out here," James said.

Lily shook her head. "You don't know what's on the ground. There could be something sharp in the mud and it will-"

James started laughing loudly, turning around and doubling over in laughter.

"...What?" Lily asked, startled.

James couldn't stop laughing. "You...are...so...paranoid..." James managed out between laughs.

"Am I supposed to be offended by that?"

James looked up, ceasing his laughter as quick as he could and said, "No, I'm just saying...and you need to get out here." James walked over to the doorway and grabbed Lily's hand.

"No, James...I can't..." Lily pleaded with him, but she felt the cold drops of rain on her face anyway.

"It's not that bad. It's nice and refreshing and liberating, don't you think?" James asked, leading her across the wet grass in the pouring rain.

Lily cringed as the cold water stung her. Her feet were getting soaked with more cold water and dirt. She could feel the ground squishing beneath her feet. Grimacing, Lily turned to James and replied, "Not really..."

"Don't you like the rain?" James asked simply, walking backward to talk to her.

"I like watching it, I guess," Lily explaining, feeling very out of her element, "But I hate getting rained on. Especially freezing rain like this."

James gave her a puzzled look. "It's not freezing rain. It's just a bit cold."  
Lily shivered, shaking her head. "_Freezing_."

James chuckled, continuing to lead her around the castle. "Why are you out here if you hate rain so much?" he suddenly asked.

Lily said without hesitation, "You forced me to, remember?"

"Actually, I didn't. I helped you out here. You're the one that left the common room in the beginning, remember?"

There was an uncomfortable silence. "Am I boring?" Lily finally questioned James.

"Boring? Like-"

"You said I don't take risks. Is that a bad thing? Does that make me boring?" Lily asked quickly, stumbling over her words.

It suddenly became all clear for James. "You came out here to show me you can take a risk, didn't you?"

Lily looked confused. "I...don't know. I just wanted to prove something I guess."

"You're out here now, aren't you?"

"Yeah..."

"And we're going to have some fun," James added, with a grin.

Lily pulled her wet hair back into a makeshift ponytail, as the water continued to soak their clothes. However, Lily had already forgotten about the pouring rain. She was concentrating on James instead.

James spun around quickly, spreading out his arms and leaning toward the sky, catching raindrops on his tongue. Lily watched him with amusement, as James stopped and said, "Come on. Try it."

Lily raised an eyebrow at James, as he nodded his head at her and started to spin again. Lily slowly spread out her arms, and tilted her head toward the sky, feeling the rain hit her face. She hesitantly started to spin in a circle, and opened her mouth to catch the rain.

It was different than ever before.

This time it was...nice, refreshing, and...liberating. Just like James said. She picked up her speed, spinning around and around, enjoying the cool rush of the rain and the freedom of it all. She lightly placed her feet on the ground, lifting up with every spin so they wouldn't sink into the soft ground.

Lily finally slowed down to a stop to see James watching her with a smile on his face. She stared back, catching his gaze, lips curved into a small smile. He walked over, finding her hand, and interlacing his fingers with her's. "I knew you'd like the rain..." he said softly, inches away from her face.

"I love the rain," Lily whispered back, leaning forward to catch his lips.

They kissed softly, barefoot in the rain, finally.

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass; it's about going out there and dancing in the rain."


End file.
